Prioritization system for alarms and notifications in first responder equipment

Abstract

A personal protection equipment (PPE) associated with a first responder and including processing circuitry is provided. The processing circuit is configured to store a prioritization map, receive a first alarm, determine a first prioritization parameter for the first alarm based on the prioritization map, determine a user interface modality for the first alarm based on the first prioritization parameter, and transmit the user interface modality to the first alarm. And communicating the first alarm to the first responder via the user interface modality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method and system for prioritization of alerts and notifications in a first responder equipment user interface. Background Art

[0002] "Fog of war" is a term used to describe the effect of information overload on individuals, such as first responders, in dangerous situations. This uncertainty in situational awareness in life-or-death situations is the focus of much training for emergency first responders, including firefighters.

[0003] Personal protective equipment (PPE) is equipment used to protect in specific environments, such as those where fire, electricity, structural collapse, dangerous temperatures, biological hazards, etc. are present. PPE typically includes respirators, such as full-face respirators, eye protection, full-face masks, half-face masks, etc. For example, first responders entering a structure where a fire is present may use PPE, such as a full-face respirator coupled to a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), for facial protection and to avoid inhaling dangerous gases caused by the fire.

[0004] In addition to PPE, devices can be used to enhance the perception of the environment. Some of these devices include accessory devices, such as locator devices, personal alarm safety system (PASS) devices, oxygen content sensors, proximity sensors, navigation devices, etc. The locator device provides information / data that can be used to locate and / or rescue personnel (such as first responders). The oxygen content sensor allows the PPE user to monitor the amount of oxygen left in the SCBA. The proximity sensor allows the PPE user to monitor the distance to certain objects (such as walls) that may not be visible under certain low visibility conditions, while the navigation device provides location and direction information that can be used to find exit points.

[0005] Due to certification requirements, a typical self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) may have multiple "operational" alarms including, for example, a PASS device alarm (e.g., indicating a stationary first responder), a bell / whistle / tactile / visual low air alarm, a tactile / auditory SCBA failure / malfunction alarm, visual / text-based notifications, etc. Additional information such as a biometric of the first responder may be generated from an alarm on a handheld device, an alarm on a zone device, a wearable device, etc.

[0006] Many of these alerts / alarms may be duplicates of each other, for example, because regulatory / certification bodies deem such information critical to the user and frequently require the same message / alarm to be reiterated according to standardized protocols. In addition, first responders may receive critical information from several sources and may be forced to look in several directions frequently. Furthermore, the use of PPE in conjunction with accessory equipment may result in information overload, confusion, unnecessary head and eye movements, disorientation, etc., and may ultimately result in important / critical alarms not being noticed by first responders.

[0007] Thus, existing systems may suffer from oversaturation of first responder users with alarms / alarms, which may hinder the first responders' ability to notice and respond to critical alarms, particularly in hazardous environments. Summary of the invention

[0008] Some embodiments advantageously provide a method, apparatus, and system for prioritizing alarms / notifications in first responder equipment. For example, various algorithms and / or artificial intelligence techniques described herein can be used to prioritize alarms / notifications, such as sorting out critical information from non-critical information for a user, and determining a modality for providing information via a user interface.

[0009] As used herein, "critical information" may refer to any information that may be relevant to health / safety / security, such as an imminent danger / threat, while "non-critical information" as used herein may refer to information that, although relevant, may not be as important to health / safety / security, etc. as critical information. For example, a low air supply alarm may constitute critical information because a lack of air supply to a first responder may be immediately dangerous to life / health / safety, etc. conditions. As another example, a "battery remaining 50%" notification may constitute non-critical information because a 50% battery charge in a piece of equipment (such as a self-contained breathing apparatus) may be sufficient to provide the first responder with sufficient time to achieve the objective and / or leave the dangerous environment. Conversely, a "battery remaining 10%" notification may constitute critical information. The specific determination / classification may depend on the equipment involved, the situation / environment, regulations / policies / protocols / standards, specific first responders / users, etc. In addition, although in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the terms "critical" and "non-critical" can be used herein to classify alarms / notifications, the classification is not necessarily binary and may range from "non-critical" to "extremely critical". For example, a scale from 1 to 100 can be used to categorize alarms / notifications, with 1 being the lowest level of criticality and 100 being the highest level of criticality.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the PPE may escalate the alert according to one or more prioritization algorithms, such as by flashing one or more heads-up displays, icons, alarms, etc. together to present a clear display / alert to the end user, by overlaying the information on a visual display in the first responder equipment, etc. Wired and / or wireless (e.g., radio) communications (such as Bluetooth, Low Power Wide Area (LoRA), etc.) can be used to transmit data between multiple PPEs associated with, for example, multiple first responders. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] A more complete understanding of the embodiments described herein and their attendant advantages and features will be more readily appreciated by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0012] Figure 1 An exemplary system including first responder equipment including PPE and accessory equipment according to the principles of the present disclosure is shown;

[0013] Figure 2 Exemplary PPE and accessory equipment according to the principles of the present disclosure are shown;

[0014] Figure 3 An exemplary system including a first responder device and a second first responder device according to the principles of the present disclosure is shown;

[0015] Figure 4 An exemplary PPE according to the principles of the present disclosure is shown;

[0016] Figure 5 Another exemplary PPE according to the principles of the present disclosure is shown; and

[0017] Figure 6 A flow chart showing an exemplary process in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Before describing the exemplary embodiments in detail, it should be noted that the embodiments reside primarily in combinations of apparatus components and process steps related to determining the prioritization of alarms and determining a user interface modality for communicating alarms in the PPE of a first responder. Accordingly, system and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, and only those specific details relevant to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure are shown so as not to obscure the present disclosure with details that would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

[0019] As used herein, relational terms such as "first" and "second", "top" and "bottom" can only be used to distinguish one entity or element from another entity or element, without requiring or implying any physical or logical relationship or order between these entities or elements. The terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the concepts described herein. As used herein, unless otherwise clearly indicated in the context, the singular forms "one", "a kind of" and "said" are intended to also include plural forms. It should also be understood that the terms "comprising", "including" when used in this article specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or their groupings.

[0020] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs. It should also be understood that the terms used herein should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meanings in the context of this specification and the relevant technology, and should not be understood as idealized or overly formalized meanings unless explicitly defined in this article.

[0021] In the embodiments described herein, the term "in communication with..." and the like may be used to indicate electrical or data communication, which may be accomplished, for example, by physical contact, induction, electromagnetic radiation, radio signaling, infrared signaling, or optical signaling. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that multiple components may interoperate, and modifications and variations may be possible to achieve electrical and data communication.

[0022] As used herein, "user input" may refer to any input, such as input provided by a user, and may include touch input, input using force / pressure, voice input, tactile input, etc. Feedback actions may include any actions, such as vibrations including bone conduction vibrations, auditory actions such as auditory outputs, display actions such as displaying an information element on a display, turning a light on / off, transmitting / receiving a message that may include an information element, establishing / maintaining / terminating communication with another device / unit, display navigation actions such as navigating through pages on a display, selecting / creating / moving / deleting / enabling / disabling symbols / images / data / information on any device / unit, etc.

[0023] As used herein, a user interface "modality" may refer to a mode / method / type of communication between a device (e.g., a user interface of a PPE) and a user of the device (e.g., a first responder wearing the PPE). Modalities include, for example, visual signals (e.g., a text message / icon / etc. displayed on a screen or on an area of ​​a screen, a flashing blue light, etc.), auditory signals (e.g., a text-to-speech message, a chime, etc.), tactile signals (e.g., a vibration configured to be felt by a first responder on the left side of the PPE and / or the right side of the PPE, etc.), any combination of the above, or any other user interface modality / signal known in the art.

[0024] Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements, Figure 1 An embodiment of a system 10 is shown in which a first responder 11 is associated with (e.g., wears, is equipped with, etc.) a first responder equipment 12 that includes a PPE 14 that includes an alarm prioritization unit 16 and a user interface 18. The first responder equipment 12 also includes an accessory device 20 that includes an alarm generation unit 22. The accessory device 20 communicates with the PPE 14 via a communication channel 24.

[0025] The communication channel 24 can be wired and / or wireless, and can include direct communication between the accessory device 20 and the PPE 14 (e.g., peer-to-peer, device-to-device, near field communication, Bluetooth, Universal Serial Bus (USB), Ethernet, etc.) and / or can include indirect communication (e.g., via a local area network, a mesh network, a wired or wireless connection to a public Internet service provider, etc.).

[0026] Although the first responder equipment 12 Figure 1 1 as including a single PPE 14 and a single accessory device 20, it is contemplated that multiple accessory devices 20 and / or multiple PPE 14 may be included in a first responder outfit 12 that is associated / capable of being associated with a first responder 11. For example, a single PPE 14 may receive / detect alarms from three different accessory devices 20a, 20b, and 20c (not shown).

[0027] See now Figure 2 , which shows Figure 1In the illustrated embodiment of the system 10, the accessory device 20 includes hardware 26, which includes a communication interface 28, a sensor 30, and a processing circuit 32. The processing circuit 32 may include a processor 34 and a memory 36. In addition to or in lieu of a processor (such as a central processing unit) and a memory, the processing circuit 32 may include an integrated circuit for processing and / or control, such as one or more processors and / or processor cores and / or an FPGA (field programmable gate array) and / or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) adapted to execute instructions. The processor 34 may be configured to access (e.g., write to and / or read from) the memory 36, which may include any kind of volatile and / or non-volatile memory, such as a cache and / or buffer memory and / or a RAM (random access memory) and / or a ROM (read only memory) and / or an optical memory and / or an EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory).

[0028] The accessory device 20 may also include software 38 stored, for example, within the memory 36 or stored in an external memory (e.g., a database, a storage array, a network storage device, etc.) that can be accessed by the accessory device 20 via an external connection. The software 38 may be executable by the processing circuit 32. The processing circuit 32 may be configured to control any method and / or process described herein and / or cause such method and / or process to be executed, for example, by the accessory device 20. The processor 34 corresponds to one or more processors 34 for performing the functions of the accessory device 20 described herein. The memory 36 is configured to store data, programming software code, and / or other information described herein. In some embodiments, the software 38 may include instructions that, when executed by the processor 34 and / or the processing circuit 32, cause the processor 34 and / or the processing circuit 32 to perform the processes described herein with respect to the accessory device 20. For example, the accessory device 20 may include an alarm generation unit 22 that is configured to perform one or more accessory device 20 functions as described herein, such as, for example, generating one or more alarms / notifications / status indicators based on the sensor 30 to communicate to the PPE 14, as described herein.

[0029] The communication interface 28 of the accessory device 20 may include a radio interface configured to establish and maintain a wireless connection (e.g., with the PPE 14, with other accessory devices 20, with any other component / device of the system 10, etc. via the communication channel 24). The radio interface may be formed as or may include, for example, one or more radio frequency (RF) transmitters, one or more RF receivers, and / or one or more RF transceivers. In some embodiments, the communication interface 28 may be configured to receive alarm data (e.g., generated / stored by the alarm generation unit 22) / transmit / forward the alarm data to one or more other accessory devices 20, PPE 14, etc. The communication interface 28 may also include a wired interface configured to establish and maintain a wired connection (e.g., with the PPE 14, with other accessory devices 20, etc.). The wired interface may include / implement / support one or more wired communication protocols, such as USB, Ethernet, etc.

[0030] Sensors 30 of accessory device 20 may include one or more devices configured to sense a condition of accessory device 20, a condition of first responder 11, a condition of the environment of first responder 11, to detect an alarm issued by another accessory device 20 or another PPE 14, or to detect any other condition / state that may be relevant in a hazardous situation. These sensors 30 may include any number of different types of sensors. The sensors 30 may include, but are not limited to, motion sensors, ambient light sensors, temperature sensors, gas / chemical / biohazard sensors (e.g., for sensing levels of oxygen, carbon monoxide, toxins, etc.), air pressure sensors, timers, movement sensors, accelerometers (e.g., 3-axis accelerometers), biometric sensors (e.g., for sensing blood oxygen levels, body temperature, pulse, etc. of the first responder 11), position sensors, altitude sensors, proximity sensors, image sensors, audio sensors, infrared sensors, eye / gaze tracking sensors, and any other sensor / device used by the first responder 11 and / or as part of or in communication with the first responder equipment 12, accessory device 20 and / or PPE 14, and any other sensor that can be configured to track, detect, measure, etc., the health status and / or condition of the first responder 11, the environment of the first responder 11, and / or the first responder equipment 12.

[0031] Still reference Figure 2, the PPE 14 includes hardware 40, which includes a communication interface 42, a sensor 44, a display 46 (which may include one or more areas 47), a tactile feedback generator 48, a speaker 50, a user input hardware 51, and a processing circuit 52. The processing circuit 52 may include a processor 54 and a memory 56. In addition to or instead of a processor (such as a central processing unit) and a memory, the processing circuit 52 may include an integrated circuit system for processing and / or control, such as one or more processors and / or processor cores adapted to execute instructions and / or an FPGA (field programmable gate array) and / or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit system). The processor 54 may be configured to access (e.g., write to and / or read from) a memory 56, which may include any kind of volatile and / or non-volatile memory, such as a cache and / or buffer memory and / or a RAM (random access memory) and / or a ROM (read-only memory) and / or an optical memory and / or an EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory).

[0032] The PPE 14 may also include software 58 stored, for example, within the memory 56 or stored in an external memory (e.g., a database, a storage array, a network storage device, etc.) that can be accessed by the first responder equipment 12 and / or the PPE 14 via an external connection. The software 58 may be executable by the processing circuit 52. The processing circuit 52 may be configured to control any method and / or process described herein and / or cause such method and / or process to be executed, for example, by the PPE 14. The processor 54 corresponds to one or more processors 54 for performing the functions of the PPE 14 described herein. The memory 56 is configured to store data, programming software code, and / or other information described herein. In some embodiments, the software 58 may include instructions that, when executed by the processor 54 and / or the processing circuit 52, cause the processor 54 and / or the processing circuit 52 to perform the process described herein relative to the PPE 14. For example, the PPE 14 may include an alarm prioritization unit 16 that is configured to perform one or more PPE 14 functions as described herein, such as determining a priority and / or user interface modality (e.g., based on a sensor 44) of one or more alarms / notifications / status indicators received from an accessory device 20, etc., for communication to a first responder 11 via a user interface 18, as described herein.

[0033] For example, the PPE 14 may include a user interface 18 that is configured to provide vibrations (including bone conduction vibrations) via a tactile feedback generator 48, provide auditory output via a speaker 50, provide display output (such as displaying information elements on a display 46 and / or one or more areas 47 of the display 46), turn lights on / off, transmit / receive messages that may include information elements, etc.).

[0034] The communication interface 42 of the PPE 14 may include a radio interface configured to establish and maintain a wireless connection (e.g., with the accessory device 20, with any other component / device of the system 10, etc. via the communication channel 24). The radio interface may be formed as or may include, for example, one or more radio frequency (RF) transmitters, one or more RF receivers, and / or one or more RF transceivers. In some embodiments, the communication interface 42 may be configured to receive alarm data (e.g., generated / stored by the alarm generation unit 22) / transmit / forward the alarm data to one or more other PPEs 14, accessory devices 20, etc. The communication interface 42 may also include a wired interface configured to establish and maintain a wired connection (e.g., with the accessory device 20, with other accessory devices 20, etc.). The wired interface may include / implement / support one or more wired communication protocols, such as USB, Ethernet, etc.

[0035] Sensors 44 of PPE 14 may include one or more devices configured to sense a condition of PPE 14, a condition of first responder 11, a condition of one or more accessory devices 20 of first responder equipment 12, or any other condition / state related to first responder 11. These sensors 44 may include any number of different types of sensors. Sensors 44 may include, but are not limited to, motion sensors, ambient light sensors, temperature sensors, gas / chemical sensors (e.g., for sensing levels of oxygen, carbon monoxide, toxins, etc.), air pressure sensors, timers, movement sensors, accelerometers (e.g., 3-axis accelerometers), biometric sensors (e.g., for sensing blood oxygen levels, body temperature, pulse, etc. of first responder 11), position sensors, altitude sensors, proximity sensors, image sensors, audio sensors, infrared sensors, eye / gaze tracking sensors, and any other sensor / device used by first responder 11 and / or as part of or in communication with first responder equipment 12, PPE 14, and / or accessory device 20, as well as one or more of any other sensors that can be configured to track, detect, measure, etc., the health status and / or condition of first responder 11, the environment of first responder 11, and / or first responder equipment 12.

[0036] The display 46 may include one or more screens that may be integrated into the PPE 14. For example, in a mask / visor of the PPE 14, the display 46 may be a heads-up display (HUD). The display 46 may be configured to display one or more alerts, which may include icons, images, text, symbols, data, and / or information. The display 46 may also be configured to display alerts at various areas 47 of the one or more screens, such as images in the eye area, eye sub-area, and / or any other area / location of the display 46. Although in Figure 2 The display 46 is depicted as part of the PPE 14 , but in some embodiments, one or more displays 46 and / or areas 47 may also / alternatively be located / integrated in the accessory device 20 .

[0037] The tactile feedback generator 48 may include any device that may be integrated into the PPE 14 that is configured to provide a vibration or other similar sensation that may be felt / detected by the first responder 11. For example, the tactile feedback generator 48 may be configured to vibrate according to a particular pattern based on a particular alarm type (e.g., a "low air pressure" alarm may be associated with a vibration pattern of three pulses per second). Figure 2 The tactile feedback generator 48 is depicted as being part of the PPE 14 , but in some embodiments, one or more tactile feedback generators 48 may also / alternatively be located / integrated in the accessory device 20 .

[0038] Speaker 50 may include any device for generating an audible alarm / message. Speaker 50 may include a bone conduction speaker. Figure 2 The speaker 50 is depicted as part of the PPE 14, but in some embodiments, one or more speakers 50 may also / alternatively be located / integrated in the accessory device 20. In addition, the speaker 50 and the haptic feedback generator 48 may be a single device, for example, where the speaker 50 includes a bone conduction speaker configured to generate both audio feedback and haptic feedback.

[0039] The user input hardware 51 may include any device for receiving user input (e.g., for triggering the processing circuit 52 / alarm prioritization unit 16 / user interface 18 / etc.) that may be configured to cause the PPE 14 to perform one or more actions. For example, the user input hardware 51 may include one or more buttons, switches, touch screen inputs, microphones (e.g., for receiving verbal user commands), accelerometers / gyroscopes (e.g., for detecting specific movement patterns that may be associated with corresponding user commands), tactile sensors, cameras (such as cameras configured to detect gestures), sensors (such as proximity sensors, motion sensors, pressure sensors, etc.).

[0040] like Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, first responder equipment 12a (including PPE 14a) associated with first responder 11a may be configured to receive / detect alarms / notifications from other first responder equipment 12b, which may include PPE 14b and / or accessory equipment 20b associated with a different first responder 11b. For example, PPE 14a worn by first responder 11a may be configured to detect signals 59 (e.g., using one or more sensors 44, such as audio sensors / image sensors / etc., using communication interface 42, etc.), such as audible alarms, visual indicators (e.g., flashing blue lights), and / or radio beacon signals emitted by first responder equipment 12b (e.g., accessory equipment 20b, PPE 14b, etc.) worn by / associated with a different first responder 11b. Based on the received / detected signal 59, the PPE 14a (such as via the processing circuitry 52, the alarm prioritization unit 16 and / or a mapping stored in the memory 56) may be configured to identify / classify the type of device that issued the alarm, the meaning associated with the alarm (e.g., a specific pattern of sound maps to a corresponding alarm type), and / or the first responder 11b associated with the first responder equipment 12b that issued the signal 59.

[0041] Once an alarm / alarm has been detected and identified / classified, the PPE 14 (such as via the alarm prioritization unit 16) may assign a priority parameter to the alarm and determine whether and how to communicate the alarm to the first responder 11 (i.e., determine a user interface modality for the user interface 18) based on the determined priority parameter and / or identity / classification information associated with the alarm. For example, the PPE 14 may determine which user interface 18 modalities / functionalities to use for such communications, including determining where (e.g., which area 47) and how (icon, text, etc.) to display information, whether and how to generate an audible or tactile alarm, etc., as described herein.

[0042] Embodiments of the present disclosure may be described as modular, for example, a PPE 14 may include an alarm prioritization unit 16 that incorporates / stores / processes data collected from / generated by one or more sensors / accessory devices 20 / other PPE 14 / etc. and a user interface 18 that is used to communicate and prioritize important / critical information. For example, a PPE 14 such as a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) may generate an audible alarm such as a whistle to indicate a low air condition. Embodiments of the present disclosure may, for example, use an alarm prioritization unit 16 to monitor the pressure entering the whistle so that when the air pressure exceeds a threshold (e.g., an ambient pressure level), the alarm / whistle may sound, and / or a module that hears the whistle and interprets its tone may be used to assess the remaining air and provide a reduced air alarm, a low air alarm, etc. The alarm prioritization unit 16 may assess criticality based on one or more algorithms disclosed herein, and the user interface 18 may provide a visual, audible, and / or tactile alert / notification to the user, which may override one or more other displays / alarms / communications / etc., as described herein.

[0043] In one or more embodiments, the alarm prioritization unit 16 may be standalone, part of the PPE 14, part of the accessory device 20, etc. In another embodiment, the alarm prioritization unit 16 is configured to detect (i.e., determine) that one or more accessory devices 20 are connected to the PPE 14 and / or determine one or more alarms / notifications that any of the accessory devices 20 may trigger on a display (or other user interface modality) of the PPE 14. That is, the alarm prioritization unit 16 may be configured to detect what accessory devices 20 are connected to the PPE 14, receive alarms / notifications from the accessory devices 20 and / or from the PPE 14, determine a priority for one or more of the received alarms / notifications, determine an alarm / alert / notification type / modality / medium for one or more of the received alarms / notifications based on the priority, and cause the PPE 14 and / or one or more of the accessory devices 20 to communicate the alarm / notification to the first responder 11 via one or more user interfaces 18 based on the determined priority and / or the determined alarm / notification type / modality / medium. The communication may cause / indicate display of an information element (e.g., symbol / image / text / data / information) on a display 46 / area 47 of the PPE 14, thereby triggering an audible and / or tactile alarm (e.g., a tactile feedback generator 49 and / or speaker 50), etc.

[0044] Although the accessory device 20 is Figure 1Although depicted as part of the first responder equipment 12 in FIG. 1 , in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the accessory device 20 may include any third-party portable device, such as a smart phone, watch, other wearable device, or a third-party fixed device, such as an Internet of Things (IoT) sensor, a device located in a geo-fenced space, a fixed environmental sensor, etc. In other words, the PPE 14 may be capable of being configured to detect alarms / alerts / notifications from a wide range of fixed and / or mobile devices without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0045] Figure 4 An exemplary PPE 14 according to some embodiments is shown. The PPE 14 may include one or more displays 46 including one or more areas 47a to 47d. Figure 5 As shown, each region 47 may be configured to display one or more information elements 60a-60h associated with an alarm / notification / alert / condition of the first responder equipment 12 (including the PPE 14, accessory equipment 20), the first responder 11, etc. Each information element 60 may be associated with a corresponding alarm (e.g., each alarm to which the alarm prioritization unit 16 assigns a prioritization parameter), or may be associated with multiple alarms (e.g., a similar group of alarms, such as a "low air" alarm and a "low oxygen" alarm). Figure 4 and Figure 5 The arrangement of regions 47a-47d in is a non-limiting example. It should be understood that other arrangements may be used based on design requirements. Similarly, Figure 5 The information shown is an example to illustrate the concepts of the present disclosure.

[0046] As used herein, an information element 60 may include text, symbols, images, data, and / or other information that can be displayed on a screen such as display 46 and / or one or more areas 47 of display 46. An information element 60 may also refer to information conveyed via an audio or tactile modality, for example, a first information element 60 associated with a low battery alarm may include a first sound pattern and / or a first vibration pattern, while a second information element 60 associated with a low air alarm may include a second sound pattern and / or a vibration pattern. Each information element 60 may have at least one characteristic, behavior, shape, color, sound, and / or vibration pattern.

[0047] exist Figure 5In the non-limiting example depicted in , information element 60a may be a battery status indication in area 47b located in the upper right corner of the display; information element 60b may be an air supply indication (e.g., indicating the air supply level of first responder equipment 12 such as an SCBA) located in area 47a prominently located in the center of the display 46; information elements 60c, 60d, and 60e may include symbol alarms such as personal attenuation level (PAR) symbols, error indications, evacuation indications, biohazard conditions, temperature status (e.g., the ambient temperature is dangerously high), etc. located in area 47d, which may be a panel on the right or left side of the display 46; information elements 60f, 60g, and 60h may be lower priority text notifications in a scrolling box located in area 47c. Figure 4 and Figure 5 The information elements 60 and areas 47 depicted in the drawings are examples, and other display 46 / area 47 layouts and types of information elements 60 may be employed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, the specific configuration of areas 47 and information elements 60 in a particular display may be configurable, such as by the first responder 11.

[0048] In addition, the PPE 14 (e.g., the alarm prioritization unit 16) may be configured to determine modal parameters of at least one information element 60. The modal parameters may correspond to an area 47 of the display 46, a symbol / text to be used to convey the information element 60, etc., a type of sound to be emitted (e.g., via the speaker 50), a type of tactile feedback to be generated (e.g., via the tactile feedback generator 48), etc. The PPE 14 (e.g., the user interface 18) may be further configured to display the at least one information element 60 based on the determined modal parameters. In a non-limiting example, the position and behavior (e.g., symbol visibility) of the information element 60 in the area 47 of the display 46 of the PPE 14 is determined (e.g., by the alarm prioritization unit 16 and / or the user interface 18). In another non-limiting example, the information element 60 is determined / caused to be displayed based on whether the corresponding device / unit (e.g., the PPE 14) is connected to another device / unit (e.g., the accessory device 20). For example, if the connected accessory device 20 includes a display (i.e., a second display in addition to display 46), the information element 60 associated with the low priority alarm may be displayed on the second display rather than on display 46, whereas if the accessory device 20 is not connected or does not include a second display, the information element 60 may be displayed on display 46, or may not be displayed at all (e.g., if display 46 is "full" and there is no more room for displaying additional information elements 60).

[0049] Furthermore, information element 60 may be displayed as transparent and / or translucent, ie, allowing first responder 11 to at least partially see objects in the environment even when information element 60 is displayed on in-mask display 46 .

[0050] The alarm prioritization unit 16 can be configured to determine prioritization for multiple alarms / alarms, for example, based on a prioritization algorithm based on the identity of the first responder 11, based on the risk level of the first responder 11, based on the preferences of the first responder 11, based on regulations / policies, etc. (for example, certain alarms are required to be displayed regardless of the calculated priority parameters), based on a mapping of alarm / alarm types to priority levels, etc., as described herein.

[0051] In some embodiments, the priority of a particular alarm is determined based at least in part on the risk associated with that alarm to first responders 11. For example, a "low oxygen" alarm may be associated with a very high risk to first responders 11, and this may be assigned a relatively higher priority parameter than a "low battery" alarm.

[0052] In some embodiments, the alarm prioritization unit 16 may determine the priority based on the amount of time that the alarm has been pending / unresolved. For example, a "no motion detected" alarm (which may indicate that the first responder 11 is incapacitated) may initially be assigned a low priority by the alarm prioritization unit 16, but the priority may be incremented over time while the alarm is not resolved.

[0053] As used herein, "resolved" in an alarm such as "resolved" may refer to the cessation of the condition that caused the alarm to be generated. For example, a "low air" alarm may be resolved when the first responder equipment 11 refills the gas tank in the first responder equipment 12. "Resolved" may also refer to the first responder 11 resolving the alarm, for example, via the user input hardware 51. For example, a "software update ready" alarm may be resolved when the first responder 11 updates the SW 58, or may be resolved (or temporarily resolved) when the first responder 11 presses a button (via the user input hardware 51) to resolve the alarm (i.e., to resolve the information element 60 corresponding to the alarm so that it disappears from the display 46). Some alarms, such as alarms that are assigned (e.g., by the alarm prioritization unit 16) a priority level above a certain threshold and / or are characterized as non-resolvable alarms, may not be resolved / resolved by the first responder 11 / user input hardware 51, and may only be resolved when the condition that triggered the alarm is resolved (e.g., for a "low air" alarm, when the gas tank is refilled). Alternatively, some alarms / information elements 60 may not be dismissed by first responders 11, but may be assigned a lower priority and / or assigned a different zone 47 and / or modality of user interface 18 based on first responders 11 attempting to dismiss the alarm. For example, information elements 60 associated with a "low air" alarm may be moved from a centrally located zone 47a to a peripherally located zone 47c based on first responders 11 input (e.g., via user input hardware 51).

[0054] The alarm prioritization unit 16 determines which modalities of the user interface 18 display alarms, what type of information element 60 is used to convey the alarm, etc., which can be based at least in part on regulatory / protocol requirements. For example, regulations (e.g., by government agencies) may require that a specific alarm (e.g., "low air") be displayed regardless of user preferences, other alarms being displayed, elapsed time, etc. The alarm prioritization unit 16 may assign a higher priority to such alarms than to alarms not associated with such regulations, and / or may ignore / override the assigned priority based on such regulations. For example, in an embodiment where the priority parameter is within the range of 1 (lowest priority) to 100 (highest priority), based on the specific alarm being associated with regulatory requirements, the alarm prioritization unit 16 may always assign 100 (i.e., the highest value) to the alarm. Alternatively or in addition, the user interface 18 may ignore the determined priority parameter associated with such alarm / information element 60 and / or may override any other alarm / information element 60 that is not associated with regulatory requirements.

[0055] The first responder 11 may "scroll through" the alarms / information elements 60 via the user input hardware 51 (e.g., using verbal or tactile commands). For example, lower priority alarms such as information elements 60f-60h (and additional information elements 60 not shown) may be located in the scroll box area 47c of the display 46, and the first responder 11 may scroll through the list of information elements 60. In some embodiments, the user interface 18 may automatically scroll through the information elements 60, for example, cycling through different information elements 60 every 5 seconds.

[0056] A non-limiting example of the alarm prioritization unit 16 assigning priority parameters to the alarm / information elements 60 is as follows. It should be understood that these values / parameters may be adjusted based on regulatory changes, user preferences, etc. to reflect operational considerations for a fire department, plant, or other organization.

[0057] For example, the alarm prioritization unit 16 may be configured to assign a highest alarm priority / level to the following alarms (and / or associated information elements 60), which in some embodiments may be configured to immediately overlay the display 46: low air remaining; equipment failure imminent; second highest alarm escalation; evacuation ordered; SCBA transfer to secondary system; air consumption rate acceleration (calculated based on usage rate during the current cylinder, correlated to the first responder 11's usage history, based on a neural network / machine learning based on prior events, etc.); etc.

[0058] The alarm prioritization unit 16 may be configured to assign the second highest alarm priority / level to the following alarms: 50% air remaining; biometric critical; environmental critical; low battery on communication device; escalation of third highest alarm; etc. In some embodiments, the alarm prioritization unit 16 may escalate one or more of these alarms to the highest priority based on the elapsed time associated with the alarm (e.g., 5 minutes have passed if the alarm has not been resolved).

[0059] The alarm prioritization unit 16 may be configured to assign the third highest alarm priority / level to the following alarms: biometric alarm; environmental alarm; accessory device 20 alarm; low battery on thermal imaging camera; etc. In some embodiments, the alarm prioritization unit 16 may upgrade one or more of these alarms to the highest or second highest priority based on the elapsed time associated with the alarm (e.g., 4 minutes have passed if the alarm has not been resolved).

[0060] As another example, the alarm prioritization unit 16 may calculate the alarm level based on the duration of the alarm / alarm / condition and based on an escalation factor (e.g., the duration of the alarm divided by the escalation factor, where a value of ≥ 7 may indicate an interrupt (highest priority) alarm). An exemplary calculation is as follows:

[0061] Low Air Alarm. Alarm Level = 10(1) = 10.

[0062] 50% air alarm. Alarm for 2 minutes. Alarm level = 5 (2 / 2) = 5 No alarm

[0063] 50% air alarm. Alarm for 3 minutes. Alarm level = 5 (3 / 2) = 7.5 alarms

[0064] Biometric alarm. Alarm for 2 minutes. Alarm level = 3 (2 / 4) = 1.5 No alarm

[0065] Biometric alarm. Alarm 4 minutes. Alarm level = 3 (4 / 4) = 3 No alarm, but upgraded due to 4 / 4

[0066] Biometric alarm. Alarm for 6 minutes. Upgrade alarm to 2. Time at alarm level is 2 minutes. Alarm level = 5 (2 / 2) = 5 No alarm.

[0067] Biometric alarm. Alarm for 8 minutes. Upgrade alarm to 2. Time at alarm level is 4 minutes. Alarm level = 5 (4 / 2) = 10 alarms.

[0068] Other algorithms / calculations may be employed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0069] In at least one aspect of the present disclosure, an alarm is provided (e.g., by an alarm prioritization unit 16) to trigger a response (e.g., from a first responder 11). For example, in the context of emergency services, responses may be divided into three broad categories / tiers, including 1) a "highest" alarm category, where the desired response may be to immediately exit the scene of the accident and proceed to a safe area; 2) an "attention required" alarm category, where the desired response may be to make the first responder 11 aware that there is a situation that may escalate and may be worthy of action by the first responder 11 to prevent escalation; and 3) an "FYI" (for your information) alarm category, where the desired response may be to note that there is information that a person (e.g., first responder 11) should be aware of, but it may not be worthy of immediate action. Although this particular example includes three broad categories, it should be understood that other alarm / alarm classification / prioritization schemes may be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, including using different category labels, using less than or more than three categories, using subcategories, etc.

[0070] The first level or "highest" alarm category may include, for example, one or more of the following alarm types: evacuation notification from command, end of service time indicator (EOSTI), red level physiological sensor, other PPE 14 failure alarm, escalation from a level down alarm, other alarm from command, "where is the compass" alarm, red level environmental alarm, respirator failure alarm, etc. Respirator failure alarms may include, for example, second stage reducer engagement, lens integrity failure, mask seal failure, low air alarm, exhaust valve held open, etc. For example, a mask seal failure may be indicated by combustion products detected in the mask or high or low temperatures detected in the mask, etc. A red level physiological sensor alarm may be an indication of a high core temperature, low blood oxygen, persistent cough, fixed gaze, other biometrics, etc. associated with the first responder 11, for example, as detected by the sensor 44. "Other alarms from command" may be an indication of other commands received from a cruise ship leader, safety officer, incident commander, etc., or may be an indication of a PASS alarm from another first responder 11.

[0071] Second level or "need attention" alarm categories may include, for example, escalation from a level down alarm, low air alarm, low battery charge on a PASS or other electronics, environmental sensor alarms, etc. Environmental sensor alarms may include, for example, ambient temperature, gas or vapor, sound identification (e.g., the sound of a whistle with increasing pitch may be an indication that a gas leak is getting worse), radiant heat, proximity to a geo-fenced area, other site specific (e.g., indication of hazardous materials on site) conditions, etc., which may be detected by one or more sensors 44. Gas or vapor alarms may be triggered, for example, by exposure limits, rate of change (a short-term high level of a rapidly increasing or rapidly changing derivative rate of change followed by a trough through a gas cloud), etc., as detected by one or more sensors 44.

[0072] A third level or for your information (FYI) alarm category may include, for example, an indication that someone else's PASS alarm is sounding (e.g., another first responder 11 in proximity to the first responder 11), a first / initial low air alarm for the first responder 11 user, a PASS pre-alarm alarm for the first responder 11 user, or a physiological sensor FYI alarm (e.g., a sustained increase in body core temperature or heart rate, as detected by one or more sensors 44), and the like.

[0073] In addition to the relative urgency of the alarms, the timing, sequence, and duration of the alarms may be critical information in the decision-making process (eg, by the alarm prioritization unit 16 and / or first responders 11 ) for appropriate immediate response faced with critical priorities.

[0074] An exemplary scenario according to some embodiments of the present disclosure includes a first responder 11 (e.g., a firefighter) searching for a lost or injured person in a burning building. Depending on the immediate situation, the first responder 11 may re-prioritize the alarms in his mind. When implementing some embodiments of the present disclosure, it may be necessary to consider (e.g., by the alarm prioritization unit 16) the risk of the first responder 11 losing track of an alarm or a group of smaller alarms that are directed to a larger hazard.

[0075] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, alarm prioritization techniques / algorithms (e.g., as implemented by alarm prioritization unit 16) may work in conjunction with display 46. Display 46 may show the highest risk alarms to the first responder 11 user. Most notable are alarms from the highest alarm categories (e.g., low air).

[0076] However, the alarm prioritization algorithm (e.g., as implemented by the alarm prioritization unit 16) may also monitor (e.g., via one or more sensors 44) the time since the air was turned on and the critical level (e.g., half full, one-third full, one-quarter full, etc.) and / or air usage. The difference between the air usage rate and the time to the critical level may indicate that there is a leak in the system that is worthy of the highest alarm. If the air usage of the first responder 11 is higher than normal, the lower level alarm may sound normally, but the alarm will be sent to the command center with the attention that there may be a physiological problem or potential emergency situation associated with the first responder 11.

[0077] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the alarm prioritization unit 16 may be configured for processing / determination of priorities for concurrent, escalated, and / or downgraded alarms. The disappearance of a top-level alarm may be an indication to the first responder 11 user that they are leaving the area. The disappearance of another alarm may not cause a greater response than an immediate evacuation. Another top-level alarm or even a need-attention or FYI alarm may not change the evacuation response, and therefore they may be suppressed (e.g., by the alarm prioritization unit 16).

[0078] However, there may be important / relevant information to be obtained from the alarms, their ranking and / or resolution (i.e., for the first responder 11). This information may assist in deciding (e.g., by the alarm prioritization unit 16) the escalation or downgrading of multiple alarms and later analysis of the incident. One or more prioritization algorithms / configurations may be used for such decision making (e.g., by the alarm prioritization unit 16). There may also be preferences customized by an administrator of the first responder equipment 12 (e.g., a separate fire department operation) that may be considered in determining / adjusting the ranking and priority of the alarms (e.g., by the alarm prioritization unit 16). Depending on the type of incident and / or response, different priorities may be assigned (e.g., by the alarm prioritization unit 16), and individual modifications may be performed (e.g., due to a medical condition of the first responder 11).

[0079] An example of an alarm progression according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is SCBA air depletion. For example, when the SCBA is at 50% (e.g., as determined by the alarm prioritization unit 16), a FYI alarm may be displayed (e.g., via the display 46). The "need attention" alarm may display 33% remaining capacity (e.g., as determined by the alarm prioritization unit 16). The highest alarm may display 25% remaining capacity (e.g., as determined by the alarm prioritization unit 16). At this point, the first responder 11 user may be expected to exit the event scenario. Another overlay analysis may include determining (e.g., by the alarm prioritization unit 16) "what is the rate of consumption of air" and assigning appropriate alarms / prioritizations accordingly. A few seconds of 400 liters per minute (LPM) of air consumption is worth a noteworthy alarm. 400 LPM consumption over 10 seconds may be worth a high level alarm (e.g., depending on the capacity of the cylinder). Pressure / air consumption may be determined, for example, using the application of the ideal gas law, the details of which are beyond the scope of the present disclosure.

[0080] Figure 61 is a flowchart of an exemplary process in a PPE 14 associated with a first responder 11 according to some embodiments of the present invention. One or more of the blocks described herein may be performed by one or more elements of the PPE 14, such as by one or more of the hardware 40, the communication interface 42, the sensor 44, the display 46, the tactile feedback generator 48, the speaker 50, the processing circuit 52, the processor 54, the memory 56, the alarm prioritization unit 16, the user interface 18, and / or the software 58. The PPE 14 is configured to store (block S100) a prioritization map. The PPE 14 is configured to receive (block S102) a first alarm. The PPE 14 is configured to determine a first prioritization parameter for the first alarm based on the prioritization map (block S104). The PPE 14 is configured to determine a user interface modality for the first alarm based on the first prioritization parameter (block S106). The PPE 14 is configured to communicate the first alarm to the first responder via the user interface modality (block S108).

[0081] According to one or more embodiments, the PPE 14 includes a display 46 with an area 47, and determination of a user interface modality for a first alarm includes selecting the area 47 of the display 46, and communicating the first alarm to the first responder 11 via the user interface modality includes displaying the first alarm in the selected area 47. According to one or more embodiments, communicating the first alarm includes overlaying a second alarm, the second alarm being associated with a second prioritization parameter having a lower priority than the first prioritization parameter. According to one or more embodiments, the PPE 14 is configured to store user preferences associated with the first responder 11, and determination of the first prioritization parameter is further based on the user preferences. According to one or more embodiments, the PPE 14 is configured to increase the first prioritization parameter based on an elapsed time associated with the alarm being above a threshold. According to one or more embodiments, the PPE 14 is further configured to store a set of regulatory policies, and determination of the first prioritization parameter is based on the stored set of regulatory policies.

[0082] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to those specifically shown and described above. In addition, unless otherwise mentioned above, it should be noted that all drawings are not drawn to scale. Various modifications and variations may be provided according to the above teachings.

Claims

1. A personal protective equipment (PPE) associated with a first responder and comprising a processing circuit configured to: Storage prioritization mapping; Receiving a first alarm; determining a first prioritization parameter for the first alarm based on the prioritization map; determining a user interface modality for the first alert based on the first prioritization parameter; and The first alert is communicated to the first responder via the user interface modality.

2. The PPE according to claim 1 further comprises a display comprising a plurality of display areas, determination of the user interface modality for the first alarm comprising selecting a display area, and communication of the first alarm to the first responder via the user interface modality comprising displaying the first alarm in the selected area.

3. The PPE according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein communicating the first alarm includes overriding a second alarm, the second alarm being associated with a second prioritization parameter, the second prioritization parameter having a lower priority than the first prioritization parameter.

4. The PPE according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to store user preferences associated with the first responder, and the determination of the first prioritization parameter is further based on the user preferences.

5. The PPE of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to increase the first prioritization parameter based on an elapsed time associated with the alarm being above a threshold.

6. The PPE according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to store a set of regulatory policies, the determination of the first prioritization parameter being based on the stored set of regulatory policies.

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